Thursday, March 28, 2013

Orange County Approves Bicycle Parking Ordinance

Orange County has miles to go in reforming its out-of-date parking requirements, but the Commission recently took a good first step by adopting their first bicycle parking ordinance. Here's the text:

Section
12.Creation of Section 38-1484.A new
Section 38-1484 under Article XI (“Off-Street Parking and Loading Regulations”)
is hereby created to read as follows:

Sec.
38-1484. Bicycle parking spaces.

Bicycle parking spaces shall be
provided as follows:

(a) For developments that
require up to ten (10) vehicular parking spaces, two (2) bicycle parking spaces
shall be required.

(b)For developments that require ten (10) or more vehicular
parking spaces, two (2) bicycle parking spaces shall be required, plus one (1)
additional bicycle parking space for each ten (10) vehicular parking spaces
above ten (10); provided that no more than eight (8) bicycle parking spaces are
required for any one (1) establishment within any zoning district other than a Planned
Development. A Planned Development may be required to have more than eight (8)
bicycle parking spaces. If eight (8) or more bicycle parking spaces are
required, replacing a vehicle space with all or part of required bicycle
parking in a “bicycle corral” configuration shall be permitted, notwithstanding
the requirements of Section 38-1485.

(a)For
developments within the Alternative Mobility Area that require ten (10) or more
vehicular parking spaces, two (2) bicycle parking spaces shall be required,
plus one (1) additional bicycle parking space for every five (5) vehicular
parking spaces above ten (10); provided that no more than twelve (12) bicycle
parking spaces are required for any one (1) establishment within any zoning
district other than a Planned Development. If eight (8) or more bicycle parking
spaces are required, replacing a vehicle space with all or part of required
bicycle parking in a “bicycle corral” configuration shall be permitted, notwithstanding
the requirements of Section 38-1485.

(b)At least
fifty (50) percent of the required bicycle parking shall be provided in bicycle
racks located no
more than 120 feet from primary building entrances served, and should
preferably be within fifty (50) feet. Bicycle racks serving secondary entrances
shall be located no more than one hundred twenty (120) feet from secondary
entrances, and should preferably be within fifty (50) feet. Racks shall not be placed so that they block
any building entrance or impede pedestrian flow in or out of the building.

(c)All
bicycle parking spaces shall comply with the following standards: Each bicycle parking space shall
have a minimum area of twenty-four (24) inches by seventy-two (72) inches to fully
accommodate a parked bicycle. Bicycle
parking spaces shall be accessible to users without users having to ascend or
descend stairs, and shall be separated from vehicle parking spaces by physical
barriers, such as curbs, wheel stops, bollards or other similar features, to
protect bicycles from being damaged by vehicles.

Section 13.Creation of Section 38-1485.A new Section 38-1485 under Article XI is
hereby created to read as follows:

(1)Bicycle racks shall be an
inverted "U"/hoop rack, campus rack, or similar device that accommodates
two (2) bicycle parking spaces per rack and enables users to lock the frame and
both wheels.

(2)Bicycle racks shall have a
minimum tube diameter of 1.9 inches and be powder coated or coated with another
weather-proof surface as may be approved by the zoning manager.

(3)Bicycle racks shall be a
maximum height of thirty-six (36) inches, a minimum of thirty (30) inches on
center between horizontal rows, and a minimum of twenty-four (24) inches from
any building wall.They shall be anchored
to a common base or mounting surface of concrete or pavement. If more than one
row of bicycle racks is installed to create the required bike parking area, the
installation shall provide a minimum of sixty (60) inches in an aisle in each
row, assuming additional spacing for parked bicycles.

(4)If a building has an arcade,
colonnade, awning , or other shade structure installed to meet the requirements
of Section 9-554 or other applicable land development code provision, bicycle
racks shall be installed under this feature to provide shaded parking.

(b)Alternative bicycle rack designs
may be approved, provided they comply with the following standards:

(1)Alternative bicycle rack designs shall accept multiple bicycle frame sizes and styles and accommodate the
use of cable and U-type locks. Alternative bicycle rack designs shall support a bicycle frame at two (2) points above the wheel hubs to allow
the frame and at least one (1) wheel of the bicycle to be locked to the rack
without lifting the bicycle onto the device.

(2)Alternative bicycle rack designs shall be easy to understand and operate, with no moving parts. Alternative bicycle rack designs shall be visible to pedestrians and the visually impaired, but consistent
with the scale of the bicycle locked to the device.

(3)Alternative bicycle rack
designs shall be powder coated or coated with another weather-proof surface as
may be approved by the zoning manager.

Orange County Calendar

Subscribe for Updates

Search This Blog

There was an error in this gadget

About this Blog

I converted my old campaign website into this blog. After Commissioner Boyd appointed me to the Orange County Planning and Zoning Board, I decided to use this blog to discuss issues of importance affecting local government, and to expound on ideas for improving our built environment.

At community meeting after community meeting, citizens express outrage and opposition to new development proposals. Citizens appear before the Planning and Zoning Board, fearful that approval will enable another McDonald's with cartoon architecture or another strip shopping center with a massive, half-empty parking lot in front. Attitudes toward our built environment range mostly from dislike to indifference.

The 1960s-era suburban sprawl model causes traffic congestion, traps our children, the disabled, and elderly in subdivisions without transportation, and produces strip commercial development of poor aesthetic quality. We build sidewalks without shade trees despite Florida's oppresive summer heat. We build subdivisions with 60% or more of each house front devoted to a blank garage. Having turned our roadways into highways, our kids can no longer walk to school.

There is a better way. We are fortunate to have real-world models in Central Florida founded on principles of New (and traditional) Urbanism--Baldwin Park, Celebration, Avalon Park, and Winter Park's Park Avenue--for all to experience. However, our zoning codes make walkable communities illegal (without jumping through innmerable hoops).

I am hopeful this blog will help educate about the benefits of form-based zoning reforms enacted in 2010 in Miami and Denver and under consideration in other cities. The new codes, over the course of decades, can change development configurations from suburban sprawl to walkable urbanism. I compiled the links below to provide you with a multitude of sources. I am hopeful you will join me in advocating a better way.

Rick

"The Legality of Form-Based Zoning Codes," Journal of Land Use... (FL State Univ School of Law)

About Rick

I am a partner with Fishback Dominick in Winter Park, a law firm founded in 1935, where I practice in the areas of business and commercial litigation and, on a selective basis, land use law. I taught Land Use Law as an adjunct professor in the Master of Planning in Civic Urbanism program at Rollins College, in Winter Park, Florida for three years. I previously served as an Orange County Planning and Zoning Commissioner, appointed by District 1 Commissioner Scott Boyd. I reside in Winter Park with my wife, Gabriela, and four terrific kids.

Total Pageviews

Blog and Web Feeds

Below you'll find links to interesting blogs and websites relating to transportation, the law, and the built environment. I don't necessarily agree with all positions taken by the blogging authors, but generally find them well-informed and thoughtful.